Kent - Englands Oldest County

Experience over 2000 years of English history on this 3 day tour. See mighty Norman castles, the site of the famed battle of 1066, Roman remains, Napoleonic Forts and Battle of Britain memorials on this tour of unsurpassed variety. There's no finer place to find real English culture that in Kent, "The Garden of England".

Day 1 - Greenwich, Rochester and Chartwell

We leave London, following the Thames towards the North Sea. Our morning sightseeing features a range of fantastic sites, many evoking London's maritime past including Greenwich Meridian Line, and a Thames riverside location with connections to Captain Christopher Jones and 'The Mayflower'. On to Rochester, an undiscovered pearl; there's an exquisite cathedral, a well-preserved 12th century castle and a medieval shopping street. It also boasts connections with Charles Dickens who lived here and set many of his tales in the city. This afternoon we'll take the first of our tours through this country dubbed 'the garden of England' to Chartwell, home to Winston Churchill . Here you can almost still smell the great man's cigar smoke as we tour the house to discover his life and times.

Day 2 - Canterbury Cathedral and Dover

The mighty Canterbury Cathedral , the pretty Leeds Castle and historic Dover are the main features of our day's touring. All are major icons and, being essential must-sees for the visitor to the UK. However moving on from the major tourist sights and depending on group interests there'll be choices from the fishing village of Whitstable, Britain's most haunted village of Pluckley an emotive Battle of Britain memorial and a few real back-road drives where you'll see hop fields and the traditional oast houses of the region.

Day 3 - Sissinghurst, Hastings and Rye

We'll begin another memorable day's touring with a visit to the fabulous gardens of Sissinghurst. Next we cross the Romney marshes, once a haunt of smugglers, to the old cinque port of Rye. This picturesque town, so loved by the novelist Henry James, always has our tour participants cooing with delight and expending much film! Along the coast you'll see coastal fortresses built to repel the invader, though this time Napoleon. Then to a place all have heard of, Hastings! We'll explore the site of this most famous of battles. 1066 changed the course of the history of the English-speaking peoples and it is a spine-tingling exercise to walk part of the actual battlefield. On our way back towards London we'll see Winnie the Pooh's Ashdown Forest and may even stop for a game of Pooh Sticks! Add to these attractions more scenic touring through 'the garden of England' and a few 'serendipity stops' and you have a perfect day!

We'll arrive back into London by 6 pm.

Optional Extras

• Pre or post tour accommodation.
• Private or rail airport transfers.

• Make your mini-tour part of an extended London city break.
• Combine this tour with the "Heart of England " mini-tour.

Tour Itinerary

Prices

Dates and Rates

Departs London every Sunday throughout 2009 season.

Prices are per person land only based on 2 people sharing a twin room.

What's Included

• 2 nights accommodation in traditional bed and breakfast or quaint hotel including all bed taxes.
• All meals during tour (2 evening dinners and 2 full english breakfasts).
• Entrance fees to any attractions visited.
• All transport and fuel costs.
• Services of your driver/guide-companion.
• All taxes and tips other than those you may wish to give your guide.

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